This wouldn't work for every soup in the book, but there are certain ones that could be easily thickened up and recycled, in a way, as a dip. Don't believe us? We've actually thought it through...

We made a gazpacho yesterday. It was a white "gazpacho," made with cauliflower, cucumber, and almonds, and after we finished eating, our lunch companion looked at the large container of leftovers and said, "I wonder if I could serve this as a dip."

That got us thinking. This particular soup already had puréed cauliflower and white bread in it (which gave it body). Put the leftovers back in the blender or food processor, add some more cooked cauliflower and bread, and it would thicken up to a perfect consistency for dip.

Same could be said for regular gazpacho. It's similar to a salsa anyway; just add more chopped tomatoes, some chunks of corn or cucumber, and serve it alongside tortilla chips.

Black bean soup? More black beans.... You get the idea.

Bread and nuts are both great thickeners, if you've got a soup that can be puréed. Add some torn-up pieces of white bread or a handful of pine nuts or almonds, whiz it in the food processor, and your soup will take on a silky, hearty texture.

We wouldn't try this with any soups that contain meat. But any sort of vegetable soup would probably work. What do you think? Has anyone tried this?

Related: How to Make Soup from Almost Anything

(Image: Flickr member foodistablog, licensed for use under Creative Commons)